Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York, Part 41

Author: Emerson, Edgar C., ed
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Co.
Number of Pages: 1368

USA > New York > Jefferson County > Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York > Part 41

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Pitt Morse, 1823-25; Rev. Mr. Bartlett, 1825-26; Pitt Morse, 1827-37; Wm. H. Waggoner, 1838 41 ; H. Boughton, 1842-46; John H. Stewart, 1847-54; A. A. Thayer, 1854 July, 1859; E. W. Reynolds, Oct., 1859-Jan. 1, 1865; I. M. Atwood, 1865; 1). C. Tomlinson, 1865-69; Harvey Hersey, April 1. 1850-Oct. 1, 1876; George F. Babbitt, Dec. 10, 1876-Sept. 10, 1878; G. J. Porter, Dec. 1. 1578 April 1, 1884; Richmond Fisk, May 1, 1884-May 4, 1892; D. L. R. Libby, July 1, 1892-Aug. 1, 1897; B. B. Gibbs, Jan. 1, 1898, the present pastor.

The Baptist church and society of Watertown dates back in its his-

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tory to the year 1823, when on May 29 a convention of delegates rep resenting the Black river Baptist association held a meeting in the school house on Factory street, and perfected the organization with 12 constituent members. In October, 1827, the society was legally incor. porated, and Lemuel L. Grady, Caleb S. Henderson and Harvey Far. rington were chosen trustees. In 1828 a meeting house was built on Factory street, and was occupied by the society until the congregation became too large for its capacity, whereupon the old building was sold ' to the Catholic society. It was afterward occupied by the Free Metho- dist society. In 1837 a new frame edifice was erected at the corner of of State and Mill streets, fronting the square, and was 10x60 feet in size, one story high. It was dedicated Jan. 10, 1838. The structure was burned March 8, 1846, and the same year a new brick (stone base- ment) church edifice was erected at a cost of $6,000. The building com- mittee comprised Rev. J. A. Nash, John Kemp and D. W. Rickerson. In many respects this was one of the most modern church edifices in the city. Material repairs were made in 1872, and the interior was also refurnished. On the completion of these improvements (Nov. 15), the church celebrated its semi-centennial and reopening.

In 1889 the society realized the necessity of a new and larger house of worship, but while the subject was discussed with much zeal at the time no definite result was reached until the early part of 1891, when a contract was made with Patrick Phillips to creet the present beautiful stone edifice at the agreed price of $19,540. On June 26, following, the corner stone was laid, and on Sept. 13, 1892, the completed edifice was dedicated with appropriate ceremony. The total cost of the finished and furnished building was $31,000. The church has a pres- ent membership of about 400 persons, and in its Sunday school are about 350 pupils. The pastors of the church, in succession, have been as follows: Revs. Norman Guiteau, Seth Smalley, Jacob Knapp, John Miller, Charles Clark, L. J. Matterson, John Peddie, L. M. S. Haynes, James W. Putnam, H. C. Townley, L. J. Dean, Charles E. Maxfield (1889-94) E. F. Osborn (1894-Oct. 1896), W. G. Rogers (since Jan. 1897).

Saint Patrick's church (Roman Catholic) of Watertown was the out- growth of missionary labors in the vicinity which had their beginning about the year 1830. Ten years previous to that time there was only

1 The old structure is still standing, and is occupied as a second-hand clothing store.

2 The church records do not disclose the duration of pastorates.

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one Catholic family in the village. Soon after 1820 a church was founded in Carthage, and priests from that parish extended their visits down the river to this locality, but the first mass here was celebrated in 1830 at the house of Daniel Branagan. In this year the families of this church numbered only six. Father O'Riley said the first mass, and was followed by Bishop John Du Bois, who held services in the old court house in 1832. Then followed other missionary priests, among whom were Fathers Cahill, Balfe, Walters, Bradley and Dona- hue, all during the years from 1832 to 1835, who used private dwell- ings, and also the old school building on the site of the present Arsenal street school house. Rev. John B. Dailey, a Benedictine friar, said mass each week during the years 1835-35. Fathers McNulty and Gil- bride also officiated occasionally, and sometime during these later ministrations a parish was formed.

On September 1, 1838, the society purchased from the Baptist society the meeting house on Factory street, and dedicated it to the Virgin Mary. The price paid was $600, and there was also purchased an ad- joining lot (114 acres) for $:50. The church increased rapidly and the old edifice soon became too small to accommodate the parishioners, whereupon, in 1855, Father McNulty began the erection of St. Patrick's edifice on Massey street, near Arsenal. It was completed in 1856, and was dedicated to St. Patrick by Bishop McClosky. In 1867 the edifice was repaired at an expense of $12,000. The society was incorporated in 1820. During the pastorate of Father Glenn, which began in 1880, the church debt of $16,000 was paid, and he also established the large parochial school, which now has an attendance of 200 pupils, under charge of four Sisters of Mercy. St. Patrick's parish now contains 300 Catholic families, and about 1,500 communicants.

The pastors of the church since 1838 have been as follows: Michael Gilbride, 1834-40; Philip Gillick, 1840-44; John O'Dowd, 1844-16; Francis McFarlane, 1846- 51 (assisted by M. C. Powers); J. Finlay, 1951-55; P. McNulty, 1855-61; James Ho- gan, 1861-75; Father Walsh, 1818 (one year); Florence McCarthy, 1879 (one year); and Father Tobias Glenn, who has filled the pastorate with splendid results since 1850.

The Church of Our Lady of the Sacred lleart, of Watertown, was the direct outgrowth of St. Mary's church, founded as the result of early missionary labors in this vicinity. After the division of St. Mary's parish and the organization of St. Patrick's, the French Catholics con- tinued to occupy the edifice on Factory street, and on July 5, 185%, re- organized their parish and church under the name of "Société Catho-

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lique Francaise de Watertown, New York." This society was main- tained until about 1877 or 78, when Father J. B. Chappelle was sent by the Bishop of the diocese to found a monastery of his order of the Sacred Heart. Accordingly the worthy priest purchased a tract of land on Thompson street, north of the river, whereon was erected in 1878 a monastery building and also a church edifice (1879), the latter being dedicated to "Our Lady of the Sacred Heart." About this time St. Mary's church, or the French Congregation, who worshiped on Fac- tory street was merged in the new inst'tution. In 1880 the Sisters' school was added to the property of the institution. During the pas- torate of Father Grom, which began in 1880, the college of the Sacred Ileart was founded for the education of young men intended for the priesthood. It is under charge of a superior of the order and his assist- ants. The property of the institution is valued at $30,000.

The priests in charge of St. Mary's, and also of its successor society, from 1957 have been as follows. Father Louis Lepic, 1857 66; C. F. Ferguson, 1867-23: Father La Clare, 1873-7); P. A. La Rose, 1875-26; J. B. Chappelle, founder of the Sacred Heart church, temporarily; Father Durin, 1877-80; Father Grom, 1880 93; P. 1. Esperance (missionary of the Sacred Heart) 1893 to the present time. In this par- ish are about 100 families. Father C. A. Mahaney is present superior of the college.

The Church of the Holy Family was organized from St. Patrick's parish in June, 1895. Father Michael R. Burns was called to the new pastorate and held services in Washington hall until August, 1896.

In October, 1895, the society purchased land on Winthrop street and erected thereon an edifice after the Moorish and Byzantine style, and a reproduction of the famous St. Elmo church at San Antonio, Texas. Father Burns is still priest in charge of the parish, which comprises 300 families.

The Free Methodist church of Watertown was organized in 1828, and purchased the old edifice formerly occupied by the French society on Factory street. In 1896 the property was sold, and about the same time a lot on the north side was secured, on which a new meeting house was built in 1897. The membership of the church is quite small, and frequently the society is without a pastor. The pulpit is at pres- ent supplied from Black River.

The A. M. E. Zion church was organized in 1848, and in the same year built a meeting house near the corner of River and Court streets. The society is small and hardly able to support a pastor without assist- ance from other churches. The pastors have been H. R. Phenix,

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James A. Wright, Solomon Jones, Elias Washington, Z. H. Tyler, J. E. Allen, Geo. C. Smith, Wm. H. Washington, Geo. C. Carter, J. W. Lacey, H. O. Thomas and Mason Jones, the latter being the present pastor.

The Watertown Seventh Day Advent society was organized June 1, 1887, by Elder J. E. Brown, with fourteen members. Since that time the society has shown but little growth. Elder J. E. Swift was the first pastor.

Emmanuel Congregational church, of Watertown, was organized July 7, 1887, with 39 members, although Congregationalism in the village dates its history to the first religious meetings held in the village as early as 1801. The initial steps toward forming the present society were taken in 1885, and the following winter was spent in creating a building fund. In the early part of 1886 a lot at the corner of Rutland and proposed Olive streets was purchased, and on May 1 ground was broken for the structure. It was completed and opened for worship Dec. 28, following, Rev. Dr. Geo. F. Pentecost officiating at the dedi- cation. The church organization was perfected July 7, 1885, and in the next month an addition to the edifice was built. During the ten years of its history this church has grown to a present membership of 90 per- sons, and in its Sunday school is an enrollment of 188 pupils. The pastors in succession have been as follows: Win. F. Stokes, Oct. 18, 1887-Jan. 30, 1890; Ephraim W. Florence, June 1, 1890-Feb. 21, 1892; Jesse Bailey, June 1, 1892-Oct. 1, 1894; Samuel G. Heckman, Oct. 30, 1895, the present pastor.

The Church of Christ (Disciples) of Watertown was organized Sept. 29, 1892, the first trustees being Charles Roberts, Zelotus Wood and E. A. Olley. Soon afterwards the trustees purchased the old Grace church property, at the corner of Jay and Sterling streets. About this time the members of this denomination at Black River and Felt's Mills were transferred to the Watertown society, and the property at the former village was sold for the benefit of the new church. The first pastor was Rev. Frank Talmage, who came to the city in January, 1893. and dedicated the church Jan. 15, following. He left Oct. 18, 1893. The later pastors have been as follows: T. B. Knowles, Oct. 22, 1893- May 31, 1896, and Rev. E. S. Muckley. the present pastor.

Among the other churches and religious societies which for a time had an abiding place in the village, but none of which is now in exist- ence, may be mentioned the United Baptist and Presbyterian society

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THE CITY OF WATERTOWN.

formed Dee. 1, 1823. Its first trustees were Orni Stowell, Jason Rich- ards and Samuel F. Ballard. Just how long the society maintained its organization is not now known. It had no house of worship. The Second Orthodox Congregational society in Watertown was formed by residents of Hounsfield, Adams and Watertown, Jan. 5, 1842. This society had but a temporary existence and no fixed placed of worship. The first Wesleyan Methodist church of Watertown was organized De- cember 19, 1818, with Peter Baltuff, Chas. Bostwick, Elim Holeomb, Richard Frayar and Francis J. Blodgett as trustees. For several years the society held services in the old stone building erected by the trustees of Watertown academy, but passed out of existence sometime previous to 1860.

Cemeteries .- In October, 1823, the trustees purchased from Hart Massey a traet of land on Arsenal street, in the western part of the village, which was laid out into lots for burial purposes. In 1825 the lots were in part apportioned among the taxable inhabitants, each tak- ing one lot, and four others were reserved for the resident clergymen. The moneys received from the sale of other lots was used to build a vault. Adjoining this traet on the west was the first Catholic cemetery, but few burials are now made in either of them. The village cemetery was used until the opening of Brookside, in 1831, and the Catholic cemetery until Calvary cemetery was opened in 1869, although in the meantime (1838) the Pamelia burying-ground had been laid out and partially superseded the village tract.

North Watertown Rural cemetery contained about two acres of land when laid out in 1838 by Bernard Bagley, Jacob Cramer and Olney W. Reynolds as trustees. It was then known as Pamelia burying.ground, but when the association was incorporated in 1863 (Dec. 3) nearly ten acres were included in the tract. Jacob Cramer was president, and Wm. Usher secretary and treasurer. From that time (1838) the ceme- tery has been one of the regular burial places of the village and city. The present officers of the association are Wm. R. Heslop, president ; Normal S. Snell, vice president, and Joseph A. McConnell, secretary and treasurer. The trustees are the officers and John A. Barkley, Geo. R. Carpenter, Edward S. Martell, Augustus J. Phillips, Delevan M. Park and Eugene Clark.

Brookside Cemetery, concededly one of the most beautiful burial places in northern New York, was laid out, opened and dedicated in 1854, by the Watertown Cemetery association. The association was

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OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

organized September 1, 1853, and trustees were chosen as follows: Tal- cott H. Camp, Hiram Holcomb, F. W. Hubbard, James K. Bates, F. H. Gregory, Willard Ives, Daniel W. Rickerson, Joseph Mullin and Thomas Baker. The first officers were Joseph Mullin, president : Will- ard Ives, vice-president; James K. Bates, treasurer; and F. H. Greg- ory, secretary. The grounds include about seventy acres, are beauti- fully located about two and one half miles from the city; and are divided into four tracts by ravines, whose gently sloping sides add much to the natural beauty of the surroundings. In 1881 the cemetery and its ap- proaches were materially improved under the direction of John A. Sherman, who with Roswell P. Flower and others, contributed gener- ously to defray the expenses thereof. At the same time the tract was somewhat enlarged.

The Keep mausoleum, which occupies a conspicuous site in the cemetery, is one of the most elaborate structures of its kind in the country. The Flower Memorial chapel was built by the daughters of Mrs. Cadwell, the grandchildren of Norris M. Woodruff and wife, in memory of Col. George W. Flower, whose wards they were for many years.

The officers of the association are H. H. Babcock, president; D. S. Miller, vice-president; A. L. Upham, secretary and treasurer, and H. H. Babcock, G. W. Wiggins, G. R. Hanford, G. A. Bagley, O. E. Hungerford, J. M. Tilden, D. S. Miller, A. R. Flower and N. P. Ward- well, trustees.

Calvary Cemetery association was organized Sept. 29, 1859, for the purpose of providing a new and more suitable Catholic burial ground in the city. The first board of trustees comprised Rev. James Hogan, president; Dennis O'Brien, vice president ; J. J. B. Primeau, treasurer ; Thomas Keenan, secretary, and Thomas Conroy, James N. Halloran, John Griffin, David McDermott, John Fay and Daniel McCormick, trustees. A beautiful and naturally adorned tract of about 16 acres of land was purchased about two miles east of the center of the city, and there Calvary cemetery was laid out and has since been maintained. The present officers of the association are Rev. P. F. L'Esperance, president: Lawrence Riley, vice-president; W. R. Tassey, secretary; John E. Bergevin, treasurer: and Wm. Haley, John Hardigan, T. A. Collins, E. H. Bohl and J. A. Allard, trustees.

St. Patrick's cemetery, which lies adjacent to Brookside, was incor- porated in 1818 by the trustees of St. Patrick's church, who constitute

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its board of managers. This tract of HL acres was a part of the once known Goodnow farm.

Prominent Characters in Watertown History .- Jason Fairbanks was in many respects one of the most notable characters in early Watertown history, and was, withal, one of its most useful citizens. He was the son of Capt. Samuel Fairbanks, and was born Sept. 9, 1785, therefore when he came to the village he was 23 years old. In the east he was apprenticed to James Bragg to learn the trade of harness and saddle making, and 1802, with the Bragg family he came to Herkimer county, V. Y., where he remained until 1802, when his apprenticeship was ended. He attended Fairfield academy three months, that being about the extent of his school education. He visited Ogdensburgh, where Judge Ford tried to induce him to settle, and thence visited Water- town, but soon went on to Sackets Harbor. Returning, he stopped at Brownville, when Gen. Brown also sought to secure his permanent residence, but soon located at the county seat, where he saw greater opportunities for a young man. For a time he worked with Calvin Mc- Knight, but the firm was dissolved and Mr. Fairbanks then formed a partnership with John Smith, and opened a shop on the site of the Saf- ford block. In 1811 he succeeded to the business, having in the mean- time added shoemaking to his tanning and harness making interests. In 1811 he bought the ever-known Fairbanks corner, the Flat-iron block. From that time Jason Fairbanks was one of the most active business men of the county seat for a period of more than 60 years; and the mechanics who are said to have learned their trade or were em- ployed by him, numbered about 100. During the war of 1812-15 he was specially active in his capacity of U. S. marshal, which office he held about 28 years. In 1821 he was appointed sheriff of the county, and was afterward elected to the same office. It was during this serv- ice that Mr. Fairbanks summoned the historic fat grand jury, of 24 members, the average weight of whom was 21212 pounds. None was of less weight than 200, while several exceeded 300 pounds. Mr. Fairbanks was also noted for his connection with the famons " Whittlesey affair," which is told elsewhere, but during his long residence in Watertown almost a thousand and one happy incidents occurred to attest his native wit and fertile brain. From 1828 to 1838 Mr. Fairbanks was county treasurer. In the course of his long business career he accumulated a fortune, and his later years were devoted to the care of his property. Hle died Jan. 10, 1875, aged almost 90 years. His wife was Mary, the daughter of Hart Massey. They had six children.

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Samuel Whittlesey eame originally from Tolland, Conn., and settled in Watertown in 1802. He began the practice of law, and was regarded as one of the most brilliant men at the early bar. On Feb. 12, 1811, he was appointed district attorney, bitt on Feb. 9, 1813, he was super- seded by Amos Benedict, whereupon certain of his friends secured for Whittlesey the office of brigade paymaster, which had been offered to and declined by Jason Fairbanks. The latter, with Perley Keyes, became sureties of Whittlesey's bond, and thus qualified in his office, Whittlesey and his wife went to New York and received in his official capacity $30,000 in bills. On their return journey, at Schenectady, Whittlesey's wife, who was in fact an unscrupulous and dangerous woman, falsely reported that they had been robbed of $8,500 of the money, and on the remainder of the journey home succeeded in per- suading her husband to appropriate the whole sum, which he accord- ingly connived to accomplish by clumsy attempts at carelessness, such as would naturally suggest the probable theory of robbery as an excuse for the loss of the money. Whittlesey visited Trenton, ostensibly to pay certain bills for the government, when all of a sudden he discov- ered he had been robbed. He affected great sorrow, and offered a reward of $2,000 for the apprehension of the thief, and then returned to Watertown apparently stricken with grief at the disaster. Of course Fairbanks and Keyes were liable on their bond for the defaulting pay- master's act, but were not fully satisfied that a robbery had been com- mitted, upon which Fairbanks set about making a careful investigation of Whittlesey's portmanteau and other belongings, as well as subjecting both his wife and himself to a searching examination. About this time other events took place which confirmed the opinions of the sureties that no real robbery had been committed, but that the offenders were making preparations to decamp with their booty; whereupon the sureties determined to adopt forcible and radieal measures to recover the stolen money, by threats of drowning the real culprit in order to force a confession from him. Accordingly it was arranged that Mr. Fairbanks should call on Whittlesey and by a subterfuge induce the latter to accompany him to the Keyes house; but Mr. Keyes was to be absent repairing a fence on his land, upon which the two were to seek him in the field, and would find him near a spring whose ontlet had been dammed for the purpose of forming a pool large enough to carry out the object of the visit. The spot was within the present city limits, on the east side of Sherman street, and about midway between Wood-

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ruff and Pratt streets. At this spot a depressed place in the ground is still noticeable. On July 15, 1815, these determined men thus induced Whittlesey to visit the spot in question, and there three times immersed him in the water before he finally consented to tell all he knew. This being done, and the place where the money was hidden being revealed, Mr. Keyes repaired to Whittlesey's home, and in company with Dr. Paul Hutchinson and John M. Canfield, proceeded to search the house and was rewarded with the recovery of nearly all the stolen money. At length Whittlesey was brought back to the house, where a violent scene took place between the husband and wife; and here Whittlesey learned for the first time that the money stolen from him at Sehenee- tady was taken by his own wife. In the confusion of the moment the wretched woman escaped from the house and fled across Trinity churchyard to the river and plunged into the river and drowned. Such is a brief outline of one of the most remarkable events in Watertown history. For a more detailed and perfect account of the affair the reader is referred to Hough's " History of Jefferson County," pages 263 40.

Hart Massey was the third son of Deaeon Jonathan Massey, and was born in Salem, N. IL., Dec. 5, 1721. In 1992 he removed with his parents to Windsor, Vt., where in 1795 he was married with a daughter of Deacon Nathaniel Swain. In 1800 he first came to Watertown and purchased 90 acres of land on Washington street, to which he soon added 100 more acres including the land where now stands the depot. He came to his new home with his family in 1801, and the first religious service in the town was held at his cabin the Sunday after his arrival. On July 13, 1808, Mr. Massey was appointed colonel and inspector, having previously served as quartermaster in Col. Abijah Putnam's regiment, and adjutant to Col. Gershom Tuttle. He was also collector of customs at Sackets Harbor during the war of 1812, but soon after- ward retired to private life. On several occasions he was appointed to minor offices, but in 1820 was made common pleas judge. In every capacity he proved himself a competent and trustworthy officer, and won the respect and esteem of the public. He lived to a good old age, and was enabled to contrast the advanced state of the county with its condition in pioneer times, In his family were three children who were born previous to the immigration to the Black river country. They were Mary, Solon and Stillman Massey.

Perley Keyes, more frequently known as Judge Keyes, was born in

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GONTHI TINH

THE PADDOCK BUILDINGS

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New Hampshire, Feb. 24, 1464, and in 1799, with his brother William and Amos Stebbins, came by way of Montreal and Kingston, and set- tled in the town of Rutland. Here he was one of the early justices of the peace, and in 1805 he was appointed one of the judges of the com- mon pleas court. In 1808 he was appointed sheriff, and in the next year removed to Watertown, where he became an important factor in the early history of the county seat. He exchanged his farm in Rut- land (with Dr. Isaiah Massey) for 55 acres fronting on Washington street, and received $1,000 "to boot." In 1811 Judge Keyes was ap. pointed customs officer at Sackets Harbor, and held the office four years. In the same year he was elected to the state senate, and served in that capacity six terms. lle became a member of the council of appointment, and for many years exerted a powerful influence in the politics of the state, he being indeed the head and front of his party. In 1831 he was recommended by Martin Van Buren, Silas Wright and others for the governorship of Wisconsin territory. Judge Keyes was a man of vigorous and powerful frame, yet plain and unassuming in his personal habits. He died of apoplexy, May 13, 1834.

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Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York, Part 41

Author: Emerson, Edgar C., ed Publication date: 1898 Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Co. Number of Pages: 1368

Author: Emerson, Edgar C., ed
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Co.
Number of Pages: 1368